MSU campus transforming into advanced mobility ecosystem

Michigan State University is transforming its 5,200-acre campus into a live, connected ecosystem to drive mobility research and development to advance smart-vehicle technology and better understand the human element.

With much of the transformation already complete across its urban, suburban, industrial and rural zones, MSU’s controlled infrastructure and active campus make it ideal to test emerging technologies for new mobility solutions. Those include 5G data transmission, solutions for “first mile/last mile” transportation and validation of technologies for automated and connected vehicle systems.

In addition to advancing technology, MSU is taking a broad, interdisciplinary approach to the many complex factors associated with evolving transportation. Keeping people at the center of the mobility conversation, MSU is focused on sociomobility, which means understanding individual and societal effects.

“As a top-tier research institution, we are well equipped to advance mobility by leveraging our campus-wide expertise and collaborating with strong industry partnerships,” said Satish Udpa, MSU’s executive vice president for administrative services. “We are excited to showcase this holistic approach and invite partners to join us as we work to revolutionize the way people and goods move throughout the world.”

Adoption of new transportation technology raises many questions. Research and real-world testing is crucial to understand how different populations, businesses and urban planning, for example, could be affected. Planners need to ensure the right policies, laws, practices and communication are in place before “smart city” features are introduced at large scale.

“MSU’s campus is unrivaled in scope, size and diverse mobility environments, providing an ideal testing ground and validation site. Studying mobility on football or basketball game days, for example, will provide great insights on solutions for safely and efficiently navigating through densely crowded areas,” said Leo Kempel, dean of MSU’s College of Engineering. “In addition to using campus as an ecosystem for research and development of technologies, we are looking to develop the future of human-centric, multi-modal mobility.”

The autonomous vehicle technologies developed by MSU feature state-of-the-art sensors as part of the CANVAS, or Connected and Autonomous Networked Vehicles for Active Safety, initiative. MSU CANVAS researchers are developing multi-modal sensor fusion using radars, lidars, cameras and advanced algorithms designed to create “super-human” artificial intelligence for autonomous driving in four seasons of weather. They also include the university’s advanced sensing and processing technology, which at 97 percent detection accuracy currently, is industry-leading in anticipating pedestrian behaviors.

MSU’s connected campus also includes other leading technology, such as:

Nearly 40 traffic signals, with a planned system for real-time traffic control

Diverse population with 70,000 students and faculty, and more than 100,000 people on game days

545 occupied buildings

26,000 parking spaces

30,000 vehicles on campus daily

85-member police force, providing flexibility in traffic management

Spartan Mobility Village, the new home of MSU’s mobility labs where roadways and parking lots can be closed for testing of new technologies. In the future, unoccupied buildings will be used as a background for sensing technologies, including radar clutter simulating the sub/urban environment.

The technology, solutions and processes tested and validated using MSU’s campus will help ensure the future of mobility creates safe, reliable, convenient and accessible transportation for all.

MSU is transforming its 5,200-acre campus into a live, connected ecosystem to drive mobility research and development to advance smart-vehicle technology and better understand the human element. Photo by Derrick Turner

MSU will host 72 high school teams in Jenison Field House on Sunday, Feb. 24, for the 2019 Michigan VEX Robotics State Championships. Around 500 of Michigan's top STEM high school students will participate.